In the bustling and noisy atmosphere of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. This meeting was like throwing a "smoke bomb" into the large drama of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, making the situation even more confusing. Trump, who used to handle state affairs by posting various messages on Twitter, was once dubbed "Twitter governance."

Recently, he has been actively speaking out on social media, directly claiming that the Russian army is not as strong as it seems on the battlefield, calling it "a name without merit," and saying that the Russian military is like a "paper tiger," looking intimidating but lacking real power. What's more shocking is that he not only keeps supporting Ukraine, saying that Ukraine will definitely reclaim all the territories it has lost, but also constantly urges NATO allies to "openly fire" if Russian aircraft enter their airspace without warning. This move can be described as a "surprising twist" on the diplomatic stage.

Trump's "remarkable comments" come quickly and decisively. He stated that as long as Ukraine has time, patience, and NATO's "silver bullet" support, restoring the pre-war borders is absolutely no problem. The implication is that Russia's three and a half years of "military show" seems more like a "prolonged embarrassment," unable to even take key cities in Donetsk, and Putin's dream of being a "military superpower" may have to wake up. Even more astonishing is that Trump also took a shot at European allies, criticizing them for supplying Ukraine while importing Russian energy, which is like "throwing money at their own feet."

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy smiled like a child who had just eaten some candy after the meeting. He praised Trump for "understanding the battlefield situation" and even thanked Trump's team for helping him "clear away the fog around Putin." It seems that this meeting not only allowed Trump to see the "weakness essence" of Russia but also made Zelenskyy feel that "the light of victory" is within reach. However, Trump's position remains consistently "uncertain," promising to continue supplying weapons to NATO while shifting the main responsibility of "pressuring Russia" to Europe, implying "you fight, I provide equipment."

Of course, Trump didn't forget to add some "ingredients" for Putin. He said that if Russia doesn't act sensibly, the US is ready to unleash a "super tariff" at any time, but it needs to be done together with Europe for a "group sanction." EU President von der Leyen quickly responded, stating that they are accelerating efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy and strive to "cut the cord" soon. As for Crimea, which Ukraine has long dreamed of, Trump left it as a mystery, and the White House remained silent, probably intending to maintain "strategic ambiguity."

Trump has always been a shrewd businessman, and this time he saw the huge business opportunities behind aiding Ukraine. He stated that he would continue to supply weapons to NATO, then let NATO decide how to use them. This operation clearly shows his understanding of the arms trade. The US produces arms, European allies pay the bill, and then send the weapons to the front lines of Ukraine to be consumed. Isn't that a win-win deal?

This "US production, European funding" model is perfect for Trump. It satisfies his demand for allies to pay more, stimulates the US economy through arms sales, and simultaneously uses Ukraine to continuously consume Russia's military forces.

In the game of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump obviously no longer wants to be just a "mediator." He supports Ukraine's "prolonged war" and encourages NATO to "stand firm" against Russian invading aircraft, clearly aiming to put pressure on Putin from multiple sides. However, the Kremlin still seems to be "holding its ground," with sources revealing that Putin plans to continue "bombing energy and destroying infrastructure," betting that Trump won't provide too much support to Ukraine. It seems that this "who blinks first" game will continue for several more rounds.

Trump's "seeing through Russia" move is either genuine support for Ukraine or another "art of transaction." Perhaps, only time will tell the outcome. However, one thing is certain: the term "paper tiger" for Russia is likely to be repeatedly mentioned by Trump on social media for a long time and won't quiet down easily.



Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553595276120965666/

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